A good healthy diet for dogs should contain a lot of protein, carbohydrates, a bit of dairy, and of course fiber, among other things.
Recently, there has been a lot of stress or attention put on fiber and how it benefits our pets.
Many pet owners, especially those who are concerned about their dogs’ health, have started looking into high fiber dog food or dog food diets that are high in fiber.
Dogs need organic sources of fiber. Some of the best sources of fiber for dogs are found in vegetables, fruits, and grains like quinoa, oats, and millet.
Beet pulp and apple or tomato pomace are also good organic sources of fiber.
When buying packaged dog food, try to make sure sources of organic fiber are listed among the ingredients.
But what is fiber, what kind of fiber should our dogs be eating, and how does fiber help our dogs?
Fiber is an insoluble carbohydrate found in the cell walls of plants and grains.
Because it is insoluble and is able to resist digestion by stomach enzymes, it is very good at cleaning out an animal’s stomach or intestinal tract, aiding constipation.
Apart from helping clean a dog’s digestive system, fiber is also able to help dogs with certain health problems.
First, fiber is low in calories, which makes it an ideal food for dogs that are overweight or obese.
When obese dogs eat high fiber dog food, they feel full faster and don’t eat as much. This can help them lose weight.
Second, fiber also helps control our pets’ sugar uptake, which make sit ideal for dogs with high sugar levels or dogs dealing with diabetes.
When diabetic dogs eat food high in fiber, their sugar levels are better maintained.
Third and finally, fiber helps dogs control anal glad problems.
Dogs have two small glands near their anus that secrete enzymes which help them pass stool.
If not enough is secreted, a dogs anus can become irritated, inflamed, or infected, and when this happens, they will usually rub their anus against the floor.
Fiber can help these glands secrete the right amount of enzymes in order to prevent this from happening.
Without a doubt, fiber has many benefits.
There is such a thing as too much fiber, though.
When a dog eats too much fiber, problems like an increase in stool volume and flatulence can occur.
Too much fiber can also interfere in the absorption of certain important nutrients, which means your dog won’t be getting the most out of their diet.
So though fiber is important, like many types of food, it must be given in balance with all the other components of your dog’s diet.
A high fiber dog food diet is only ideal for pets that are dealing with health problems.
If your pet isn’t sick, then increasing their fiber is not necessary!
